1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to intravascular devices and more specifically to a blunting apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
Intravascular assemblies such as catheter assemblies are generally used for passing fluids between a device such as a syringe or a drip to or from body lumens such as veins or arteries, or other internal target sites. A catheter assembly usually includes a hub, a catheter, and a needle. An eyelet ring is typically inserted into the catheter. The catheter, together with the eyelet ring, is then inserted into an opening in the nose of the hub and is secured to the hub by press fitting the eyelet ring within the nose of the hub. A needle is then inserted into the catheter. A sharp tip of the needle is used for piercing a body lumen so that access may be gained into the body lumen by the catheter and the needle. Once the catheter and the needle are located within the body lumen, the needle is removed. A syringe or a pipe of a drip is then attached to the hub so that fluids may be passed through the hub and the catheter between the drip or the syringe and the body lumen. The hub is typically made of materials that provide sufficient rigidity thereto and the catheter is usually made of a material which is flexible.
One of the potential problems associated with a catheter involves the sharp tip of the introducer needle. After a health care worker has used a catheter on a patient, the sharpened tip of the needle that has bodily fluids from the patient may cause harm to another person by the sharpened tip coming in contact with the skin of another. Accordingly, there is a need to provide catheters that reduce the likelihood of a catheter unit causing harm to another person such as a health care workers.
A catheter unit comprising a needle, an actuator body, and an elongated blunting member coupled to a flash chamber and to a safety member. The blunting member is disposed coaxially within the bore of the needle. Additional features, embodiments, and benefits will be evident in view of the figures and detailed description presented herein.